December 29: Leading to Worship

After a chapel sermon close to Easter in which I quoted from the hymn "Low in the Grave He Lay," a young student asked me for the name of the poem I read. Having come from a church which sang choruses projected on a screen, he knew nothing about the great hymns of former days. Few of us wish to go back to the deadness of the old days, but we must be careful not to abandon the heritage of yesteryear. What then is genuine worship?

*First, worship requires sincere seekers (vv. 1-2). You have probably seen a bumper sticker or a placard on a Christmas float during a parade which reads, "Wise men still seek Jesus." The sign speaks of the magi from the East who came to worship Jesus. Although we know little about the men, research reveals much about their position and function in ancient Babylon, assuming that to be their country of origin.

They were scholars in the finest sense of the word. Trained in astrology, the forerunner of astronomy, they understood the procession of the planets as well as the changing heavenly patterns throughout the year. They were esteemed for their knowledge and wisdom. Men such as that followed a star which guided them to Israel.

After their arrival, they went to their counterparts inquiring about the new-born King of the Jews. By their coming, the Holy Spirit assured the official and public acknowledgment of Jesus' birth.

*Also, genuine worship requires a biblical base (vv. 3-6). King Herod, a half-Jew, should have known about the Messianic prophecies. However, knowledge could not overcome his demonic spirit. He killed anyone who posed the remotest threat to his throne, including his favorite wife and her children.

King Herod heard rumors about men from the East seeking a newborn king of the Jews. He called the chief priests and scribes to find out the prophetic promise about when the Christ, God's anointed One, was to be born. Without hesitation, they quoted from Micah 5:2 which singled out Bethlehem in Judea. Micah also ascribed two roles to the One to be born, those of Shepherd and Ruler for Israel. Had Herod read the rest of the prophecy, it may have alerted him further to the supernatural Person whom he sought when it says, "whose origins are from old, from ancient times." His "origins" probably allude to His pre-incarnate appearances as the Angel of the Lord. Herod was not contending with a mere Baby.

*King Herod's instructions to the magi show his ignorance of a basic prerequisite for genuine worship, namely, a receptive heart (vv. 6-8). Summoning the magi, he inquired about the time the star appeared, undoubtedly in an effort to learn the approximate birth of the child.

The magi seem to have taken Herod at his word. In spite of his exalted position and power, his depraved heart precluded real worship by him.

*The response to Jesus by the magi sets the example for genuine worshipers as they present a worthy offering to the Lord (vv. 9-12). As soon as they left Herod's presence, the star they had followed reappeared, but it now acted specifically by leading them to the child in a house. It hovered over Him. Falling down in reverence and exceeding great joy, the magi worshiped Him. Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were fit for a King. Being warned by God in a dream, they eluded Herod and returned to their own country.

To honor Jesus, Christians through the centuries have erected majestic places of worship. We want to give the Lord our best.